Mail-bag catcher.



E. H. SHORT.

MAIL BAG GATOHEB.

APPLIoATIon FILED un. s, 190s.

Patented De'c.22, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Y wim m1 G si,

Snowdon Enos Hhor? Witwe/.suo Ci ammmfs rut Norms rxrsns t E. H. SHORT.

MAIL BAG GATUHEB. 'uruoulox FILED 1.41.9, 190e.

Patented Dec.22, 1908.

m: umnurmxnscpl, wnsmuamn n c UNITED s TATEs ENOS H. SHORT, OF GASSAWAY, WEST VIRGINIA.

MAIL-BAG CATCHIER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENos II. SHORT, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Gassaway, in the county of Braxton, State of West r as used in my invention.

Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to a new and useful improvement in mail bag catchers.

The object of my invention is to provide a mail bag catcher which is simple of construction and readily operated as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown in Figure 1 a top view of a mail bag catcher set to catch a mail bag. Fig. 2 discloses a top view showing a mail bag as caught by the catching device. Fig. 3 discloses an enlarged detail of the catching arms Fig. 4 shows an enlarged detached view of the forked spring as used in my invention. Fig. 5 discloses a perspective view of the plate spring, and Fig. 6 shows an enlarged detail of the pin used to secure the supporting bar.

The object of this invention is to provide a mail bag catcher in which simplicity of design, durability of construction andpositive action of the instrumentalities have been kept in view.

Between the door posts 1 of a suitable mail car B is pivotally held the supporting bar 2 having a stop shoulder 3, at one end, while at the opposite end this supporting bar is provided with a perforation adapted to receive the stem of a pin 5 passing through a collar 4 as shown in Fig. 6. Secured to this supporting bar 2 is a crane rod 7 having a terminal ear 9 through which the supporting bar 2 passes, this crane rod being provided with the crook 8 and the handle 10 as shown. The crook 8 is provided with a supporting ear 11, while the crane rod intermediate of its ends is provided with the supporting pins 12 and 13, as clearly disclosed in Fig. 1.

Pivotally mounted upon the supporting in 12 is a bifurcated curved catching arm 15 avin an enlargement 16 provided with a suitabe perforation to receive the pin 12 as shown in Fig. 1. Extending from this catching arm 15 is a stem 17 having an ear 18 as is shown. An ordinary coil spring is secured Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 9, 1908.

Patented Dec. 22,' 1908.

Serial No. 409,982.

`to the ears 11 and 18. Pivotally mounted up on the supporting pin 13 is a curved forked spring 2O having a terminal eye 21 engaging a pin 22 fixed to the supporting bar 2, as shown in 1. This forked spring is provided with the crook 23, the spring being continued in a solid portion 24 as shown in Fig. 4 which ends in a lip 25. At the crooked portion this forked spring is provided with the ears aj adapted to receive the pin 13. In Fig. 4 the position of the ears e and 22 are clearly disclosed. This spring strides the crane rod 7 as shown in Fig. 1 and also strides the supporting bar 2. Shielding the forked portion forming the crook 23 is a plate spring 26 having the terminal openings 27 and the end opening 28. A suitable screw passes through the opening 28 and into the opening 80 within the forked spring 20 as shown in Fig. 4, while two screws are inserted through the openings 27 and threaded into the openings 23 within the forked spring so that this plate spring is securely fastened to the forked spring. From this it will be seen that the forked spring at its crooked point has a reinforcing spring and it is within this crook that the mail bags lodge.V

The operation of my device is as follows: The catching arms are drawn outward against the tension of the spring 19 until the stem 17 is caught by the lip 25 as shown in Fig. 1. Now as the mail bag strikes the forked and plate spring the trigger head is carried out of engagement with the end of the catching arms 15 which are promptly swung around by the retractile spring 19 so that the mail bag is securely held within the catching crook.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The combination with a supporting Mr, of a crane rod carried by said bar having an 'operating handle, a catching arm pivotally secured to said crane rod` having an extending ear, a spring secured to said ear and said crane rod, a forked spring having a terminal trigger head and a terminal and an intermediate securing ear, a pin carried by said crane rod adapted to engage said intermediate ear, a pin carried by said supporting rod and engaging said terminal ear, and a plate spring secured to said forked spring, as disclosed. a'

2. The combination, with a supporting bar and a crane rod, of a bag-receiving member connected to said bar and rod; a retaining member mounted upon said rod rearwardly of said receiving-member; and means 1 for moving the retainingmemberforwardly into engagement With a bag caught by said receiving member.

3. The combination, With a flexible bagreceiving member, ofra retainingy vmember adapted when in inoperative position for engagement with the receiving member the impact of a bag against said receiving member exing the latter, to disengagesaid retaining member therefrom and permit the movement of theretaining member into operative vposition.

4. The combination, with aV flexible bagreceiving member, lofaspring actuated retaining member adapted whenA in inoperative position for engagement Withthe receiving member, the impact of a bag against said receiving member ilexing the latter, to disengage said retaining member therefrom and permit the movement of the retaining member into operative position.

5. The combination, with a `bag-receiving member and means for supporting the same, of a retaining member mounted in the rear of the receiving member and adapted formovement forwardly into engagement Witha bag caught by the receiving member, when the bag strikes said receiving member.

6. The combination, With a bag-receiving member and means for supporting the same, of a spring actuated retaining member mounted in the rear of the receiving member and adapted for movement forwardly into engagement with a bag caught by the receiving member, when the bag strikes said receiving member.

7. kThe combination, with a bag-receiving member anda crane rod with which said member is connected, of a spring-actuated retaining member pivoted to said rod in the receiving member releasing said endfrom engagementfwith thev trigger, to permit theretaining member tov move ,into engagement With the bag.

9. The combinationfwith ya bag-receiving member and a crane rod to vWhich said member is attached, of an automatically-operated bifurcated retaining member pivoted to said rod in the rearof the'receivingmember and straddling the same, said retaining member beingadapted forv engagement with a'bag yhen the latter strikes said receiving mem- 10. A device of the character described, having a rotatable catching arm, and a catching .device ythereon comprising a receiving hook, a retaining finger device pivotedon said arm, spring means to holdl said device against `the bag afterl it hasbeen delivered and means for actuatingsaid deviceby the vim act of the .bag on its delivery.

n testimony whereof, I affix my signature, 1n presence of two Witnesses.

ENOS H. SHORT.

- Witnesses ALEX GRovEs, J. M. STEWART. 

